The government has simplified the labeling of dairy products

The labeling is designed to reduce the level of falsified goods and ensure traceability of product delivery "from cow to counter".

The Center for the Advanced Technology Development (CATD) and relevant departments communicate with companies that have not had time yet to rebuild all the processes, and solve the necessary issues. For enterprises, there is a support service, many work with individual managers. 

Since September 1 this year, the second stage of labeling starts for milk with an expiration date of more than 40 days, and since December 1 - for products with an expiration date of less than 40 days. The withdrawal of dairy products with an expiration date of less than 40 days will begin in January 2022, and more than 40 days — in the summer the same year.

Since September 1, 2022, volume and variety accounting will be introduced. For farmers who will sell products directly or through retail, labeling will become mandatory since December 1, 2022. The per-item accounting of milk will begin on December 1, 2023.

For the industry, the government adopted a resolution (RF PP No. 843 of 31.05.2021), which provides for a number of exemptions. They were developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, taking into account the opinions of the industry. The document contains amendments to Resolution No. 2099, which regulates the rules for the introduction of labeling.

According to the decree, farmers can sell their products at retail without labeling until December 1, 2022. It is also allowed to sell products without labeling, issued before the date of its mandatory introduction. This can be done not only by cheese and ice cream producers, but also by companies for which labeling will become mandatory in the next stages. In addition, manufacturers can sell unlabeled in-stock balances before their expiration date and label them on separable parts of the package (for example, on the caps). Manufacturers who have chosen a typographic method of application can transfer the labeled packaging for use in production and then put the products into circulation by another legal entity within the holding.

"Fruit ice" ice cream  and desserts without milk fat and protein were excluded from the list of products that are mandatory for labeling. The resolution also describes the working process for vending machines.

For the participants of the turnover, the deadlines for transmitting information about the withdrawal of products from circulation were shifted. Manufacturers of goods with an expiration date of up to 40 days will start doing this since January 20, 2022, and with an expiration date of more than 40 days - since June 1 the same year.

The law also provides exemptions for the organizations and individual entrepreneurs who work in remote areas. Now they can be registered in the monitoring system within 30 days from the moment of the need. During the same period, they can transmit information about the shipment, withdrawal from circulation and return of goods through the cash register.

Also, manufacturers can become participants in the program of the Industrial Development Fund (IDF) "Labor Productivity", which provides for a loan rate of 1%. Regulatory support for business is provided by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

For dairy producers, preferential lending to the Ministry of Agriculture is provided at a rate of 1-5%. For printing houses - zero VAT rate under the government on imported equipment for printing labeling codes and the IDF program "Digitalization of Industry". The measure should make the services of printing houses cheaper for the participants of the turnover, because the cost of equipment for printing houses will be reduced by 20%.

Regional state support measures are also provided for the participants of the turnover.

In turn, the operator of labeling the CATD has developed a calculator of technical solutions that allow you to choose the best ways to connect to the Honest Mark system, as well as standard technical solutions for dairy producers that help you choose the way to apply the code.

The system of labeling of dairy products has been operating in Russia since January 20, 2021 on a voluntary basis, and since May it will become mandatory. So, since May 1, ice cream, butter and cheeses are subject to mandatory labeling. Since July 1 — milk and non-condensed cream with a shelf life of more than 28 days, buttermilk, curdled milk and cream, yogurt and kefir, whey, cottage cheese, sour cream. Since October 1 – non-condensed milk and cream with a shelf life of 28 days or less, nn-condensed milk and cream or with added sugar, soft drinks containing milk fat. Since November 1, farmers will have to label products sold through their own retail and sold through direct sales.